Just like that, the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft has come and gone.
And once again, the teams in the AFC North appeared to be fishing in the same watering hole when it came to their interest in draft prospects.
On Thursday night in Detroit, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals all made selections in the first round of the draft, while the Cleveland Browns were inactive once again, without a first-round pick for the third straight year due to the Deshaun Watson trade with the Houston Texans ahead of the 2022 season.
The Steelers, as is well-known, addressed the offensive line at No. 20 overall, selecting Washington offensive lineman Troy Fautanu, getting one of the top players on their board.
The Cincinnati Bengals, at No. 18 overall, addressed the offensive line, too, selecting Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims. They added another massive human to the tackle position alongside veteran Orlando Brown Jr. and Trent Brown, a player they signed in free agency.
Mims was one of the most intriguing players in the draft. Checking in at 6076, 340 pounds with a 9.54 RAS coming out of Georgia, Mims certainly had the size and the athleticism to be a first-round pick.
However, there were concerns about his overall experience. During his career in Athens, Mims started just eight career games and played in just over 800 career snaps. He was considered inexperienced by teams, but a player with some really good tape.
Landing in Cincinnati is a great location for Mims based on the roster around him. The Bengals can lean on Brown at right tackle early in the season until Mims is ready, and then once it’s time to insert Mims into the starting lineup at right tackle, they’ll have a stout guard in Alex Cappa next to him.
Protecting star quarterback Joe Burrow is the priority in Cincinnati, and the Bengals did well to add Mims at No. 18 overall. If he hits from a developmental standpoint, Mims could become the best tackle in the draft class when it’s all said and done.
The Bengals will be back on the clock Friday with the No. 49 overall pick in the second round and then the No. 80 and No. 97 picks in the third round.
Picking at No. 30 overall, the Baltimore Ravens sat tight and addressed the defensive side of the football. Landing Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins at No. 30 overall, they got a player the Steelers showed quite a bit of interest in throughout the pre-draft process as well.
Wiggins measures in at 6013, 173 pounds. That weight is rather concerning for Wiggins. However, he did bulk up to 180 pounds for his Pro Day.
He tested off the charts at the NFL Scouting Combine, clocking a 4.28 40-yard dash and a 38-inch vertical, along with a 10’7″ broad jump.
Baltimore tends to do well in the secondary from a draft perspective, having landed names like safety Kyle Hamilton, cornerback Marlon Humphrey and even Brandon Stephens in past drafts. Wiggins looks to become that next name in the secondary for the Ravens.
On paper, he looks like a solid fit opposite Humphrey, where he likely will compete initially with Jalyn Armour-Davis and Trayvon Mullen, a fellow Clemson product.
The Ravens hold the No. 62 and No. 93 picks on Friday night in the second and third rounds.
